


Her Favorite Mistake

by iloveromance



Category: Mad Men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21952099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance
Summary: An unexpected moment of passion in Pete's office sends Peggy's emotions swirling and her uncertain future into a tailspin. (Episodes: "The Hobo Code"/"Nixon vs Kennedy.")
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

In the privacy of her bedroom, Peggy Olson stood in front of the full length m mirror, her hand on her stomach. She didn't want to think about what it meant; what it could mean. However, she wasn't stupid. Two missed periods were nothing to laugh about. She didn't dare tell her parents or her roommate. She knew exactly what they'd say. And they would be right. But there was nothing she could do to change what had happened.

She'd never hear the end of it. Without warning, her stomach lurched, sending her rushing into the bathroom, as it always had at this time of the morning. When she was finished, she washed her face and brushed her teeth, clutching her stomach in agony. She should call in sick, but there was so much work to do, that the idea was impossible.

Wearily she got ready for work, making sure to look her best. Because if she looked her best, no one would be the wiser. The last thing she wanted was for someone to find out; someone being Joan. There was no telling what chaos would ensue if Joan caught on. She'd just have to play it cool; act as casual as possible.

But on the bus, her head swirled with memories of that fateful afternoon, when she'd knocked on Pete's door.

He'd whirled around in his chair and she was momentarily taken aback by how boyishly handsome he was. And when he asked her to come in and close the door, she hesitated only for a moment before doing so.

They were standing just inches apart, her heart racing against her chest.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to see you walking around here every day?" He asked. But he didn't give her a chance to answer before he was kissing her passionately. Their lips and arms entwined, he guided her backwards and pushed the door closed.

Still kissing, she fell backwards onto the couch, which he pushed in front of the door, leaving virtually no chance for anyone to get in. The rush of adrenaline she felt was heightened as he joined her on the couch and she pulled up her skirt and he unfastened his belt.

She had no idea what was in store, but suddenly he was touching her and soon their bodies became one. She knew that she appeared horribly naive for she didn't have a clue as to what she was supposed to be doing. But from his reaction she was doing it right. His moments were hurried; so hurried that she heard the unmistakable rip of her blouse, causing her to gasp lightly.

"Be careful!" She'd warned. But she quickly forgot about her torn blouse when both of them caught their rhythm. And soon Pete Campbell was taking her places that only existed in her dreams. She clung to him, not thinking about the fact that he was married. All she could think about was what he was doing to her, the way he was making her feel-and how she didn't want it to stop, ever.

When it was over, she rose from the couch and adjusted her skirt, while he quickly zipped his pants and tightened his belt. And then he sat down on the sofa. "I'm sorry about your blouse."

She fingered the torn fabric and smiled nervously. "It's okay." And then an uncomfortable silence. "Pete?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you… think about me?"

He thought for a moment and then nodded. "I'll be honest. I have. A few times."

Her heart swelled at the thought of this handsome, albeit married man thinking about her outside of the office. But her fantasy was soon clouded by his next comment.

"Trudy and I are supposed to be one person, you know? But we're not."

She smiled, not knowing what to say. Her shaking hands smoothed her hair and she picked up her folder and headed for the door. "Did you get a chance to read my copy?"

"No, actually I didn't."

"Oh… Well, then I'm glad. I was hoping that you didn't hate it."

Now she blinked in surprise as the bus neared her stop and she had virtually no recollection of how she'd gotten there.

And as she walked into the building of Sterling Cooper, she knew that her life was about to change. The hardest part would be keeping it to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

She looked at no one in the elevator, choosing instead to look straight ahead. And when the doors opened, she made a beeline for her desk. Her first thought was to ignore everyone, but that would certainly cause eyebrows to rise. For Peggy Olson was nothing if not chatty. Or at least that's what people said about her. Fortunately that was the only thing they said and she wanted to keep it that way. One word of this humiliation would be the end of her career and her life.

She mumbled polite hellos to everyone she saw, but when she caught a glimpse of Pete, her emotions began to waiver. "Hey, Pete."

"Hey Pegs, how's it going?"

"Fine. Just fine." She replied a little too quickly. And that's when she knew she'd been had. Just as she feared, he caught on. How did he always know?

She smiled politely and headed for her desk. But of course he followed her.

"Hey… are you all right?"

"Sure I'm fine, why?"

"You look…"

"I'm fine, all right? I need to get to work, okay? I'm sorry."

He threw up his hands in mock surrender. "No problem."

But he didn't leave, choosing instead to stand there and watch her as she removed the cover from her typewriter and put her purse and her brown bag lunch in her desk drawer.

"Pete, did you need something?"

"No, I… Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes." She snapped.

"Because if you want to talk-."

"Damn it, Pete I said I was fine!" She yelled, not only bringing silence to the office but startling herself with her outburst.

"Okay. Just asking."

The door opened and she caught a glimpse of her boss. "What's going on out here?"

"Nothing." Pete said. "Peggy and I were just talking."

"Well, talk more quietly, okay? And that's an order. I'm on the phone!"

"Yes sir." Pete said as the door slammed shut.

"All right, Peggy, you didn't have to make such a scene!" Pete said, storming off into his office and slamming the door.

Peggy swallowed hard and took out her folder of assignments. She glanced at them only for a moment before inserting a sheet of typing paper into the typewriter. She barely looked at the letter before her, while her fingers did the work, moving rapidly across the keys. She typed and typed and typed until she felt as though she would faint and when she was finished, she pushed the buzzer on her desk. "Mr. Draper?"

"Yes, Peggy?"

"I'm finished with that letter to Quaker Oats if you want to take a look at it."

"All right, I'll be right there."

The door opened and she stood obediently handing him the letter. "I hope you like it."

He glanced at the letter and then smiled. "I hope I do too. A major account is riding on this letter. Just give me a few minutes, okay?"

"Sure. I'll just work on these note cards that Joan gave me yesterday."

"Good idea."

She was already on her fourth note card when the sound of the door opening made her jump. He was standing before her, a rage in his eyes unlike anything she'd ever seen.

"What in the hell is this?" He yelled, throwing the paper forcefully down on her desk. Every eye in the office was on them, and she could practically hear the hushed conversations from across the room.

"What's going on?" Joan asked, sauntering over to stick her nose where it didn't belong.

"Nothing." Don snapped. "This is between Peggy and I."

"Fine, suit yourself." Joan said, turning on her heels. Peggy watched as Joan's perfect body moved away from the desk.

"There's nothing here to see, people!" Joan shouted, making Peggy flinch. "Now get to work!"

"Peggy look at me!" Don ordered.

"Yes, Mr. Draper?"

"What in the hell is that?" He barked.

She picked up the pieces of paper that he'd thrown on her desk. To her horror, it was the letter she'd typed just moments ago. "It… looks like my letter to Quaker Oats."

"No, it's complete and total crap! What the hell is wrong with you? Did you even proofread it before you turned it in?"

"Well, I…"

"What are you, some kind of idiot?"

"I'm sorry…"

"Damn right you're sorry!" He shouted "I have a right mind to fire you right this instant, throw you out on the street and-."

The letter in her hand crumpled as she brought it to her mouth and began to sob as though she would never stop.


	3. Chapter 3

Don shook his head in obvious disbelief, as though he'd never seen a woman cry before.

"Oh Jesus… Calm down!" He ordered, like she was some kind of dog. "Stop it!"

But she could only look up at him feeling smaller than ever as her crying became even worse. "I-I can't!"

"You've got to learn to accept criticism, do you understand me? Maybe Roger was right. I never should have hired you in the first place!"

She was horrified at his words. "What?"

"Um, nothing." He said, his anger dissipating, if only in the slightest. "Just stop crying. You look ridiculous."

"But-."

He grabbed her arm, dragging her around her desk and into his office where he slammed the door.

"Sit down" he ordered.

She did as she was told, burning her face in her hands. She wished, oh how she wished, that she'd called in sick. At least the guilt would be far more pleasant than this humiliation. She looked up to see him pouring her a drink. Oh God… Ever since she'd read the article in Life Magazine (months before she'd even laid eyes on Pete Campbell) about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, she vowed that when she finally became a mother, she'd never do anything to jeopardize the life growing inside of her. She couldn't do that to herself, her child or her husband. But never in her life did she dream that she'd be pregnant without a husband; and by a man who had a wife of his own. It all seemed like a terrible nightmare.

"Here." He said, thrusting the drink into her hands. "Drink this. You'll feel better in a minute. Trust me, it works."

"I-I can't!" She said, trying to quiet a sob.

"Sure you can! Everybody drinks around here! It's what we do! And as your boss I'm ordering you to do it. So drink up! And when you finish that, you can go back to your desk and rewrite that letter. I know it's almost…." He glanced at his watch and then back at her. "… Time for lunch, but you're not going anywhere until that letter is finished, do you understand me?"

"I-I can't!" she said again.

"You can and you will!" He yelled. "Damn it, Peggy, don't undermine my authority again!"

"I'm not! I just… I mean… I can't drink anything!"

"Drink it or you're fired, you got that?"

"No, please…" She cried. "Please don't fire me! I can't… I'll write the letter to Quaker Oats, I swear it! I brought my lunch anyway. I'll eat at my desk and I won't leave until

I'm finished, but I just can't drink anything."

"Why in the hell not? I do it. Roger does it. Hell, even Pete Campbell drinks! We all drink! It's in our blood!"

"I-I know… and I would, but-."

"But what? Didn't you hear what I said? I'm your boss and as your boss-."

The door opened suddenly, and Roger popped his head in the doorway. "Don, may I see you for a minute?"

"What, now?"

"No, last Tuesday! Of course now! What did you-." He glanced over at Peggy and then back at Don. "Oh… am I interrupting anything?"

"Nothing that a pink slip wouldn't take care of." Don said, glaring at Peggy.

"Mr. Draper, please…" Peggy begged.

Don looked up at his boss. "Roger, can't it wait? I'm kind of busy here."

"Actually I wanted your opinion on something in my office."

Don sighed deeply. "All right, fine. Peggy I'll be right back, okay?" He barked. "Just… stay right there. Don't move a muscle. This discussion isn't over yet!"

She nodded wordlessly and when the door closed, she sobbed until her sides ached. Minutes later she was all cried out and rose from the sofa. Woodenly she crossed the office and stared out of the window at the sights and sounds below. The cars whirring by, horns honking, people walking back and forth to get to where they were going. But she knew without a doubt that their lives couldn't have been half as messed up as hers had become

Time continued, even though her world felt as though it was about to come crashing to an end.


	4. Chapter 4

She was still staring out the window when the door opened, but she refused to turn around. She wouldn't turn around; not until he said her name, demanding that she look at him. And for once she got her wish. He was silent, his footsteps the only sound on the carpeted floor of the large office. However, that silence didn't last for long.

"Peggy."

She turned around just as he slammed the door, the harsh look still on his face. The force of his anger rattled the glasses on his bar cart, remaining her of the reason he'd become so angry in the first place; or one of the reasons anyway. It was so easy to set him off about anything these days, but this… The minute he found out that she'd gotten herself into trouble-with someone from the office-he would be absolutely livid.

"Mr. Draper, I-."

"Did you finish that drink?"

Her eyes darted to the as yet untouched glass of scotch (or whatever it was) that sat on the table. "No… I…"

"Why in the hell not?"

"Because I can't! I-I already told you that! Why can't you just believe me?"

"Well after that crap of a letter you handed me, I don't know how I can believe anything you do anymore!"

She nodded, wondering how much more abuse she could take. Surely there was a law or a rule about how much stress was allowed in the workplace. "I know, and I'm sorry! I just… I'm stressed out and I've had a lot on my mind lately!"

God, if he only knew just how much stress she was under… He had no idea... no idea at all.

But he was looking at her, incredulous. "And I haven't?" he bellowed. "You don't know anything about life, Peggy! You're… well, however old you are and I'm… Well, I'm a lot older than you are! I have two kids and a wife and I work hard to provide for them! Don't you get that?"

"Of course, but-."

"But what? You come in here and all I ask of you is that you sit in that chair at that desk, get my coffee, answer my calls, and do what I tell you to do! Now is that so hard?"

"It's not hard at all, Mr. Draper, but I-."

"What, Peggy? What?"

"N-nothing, just forget it! I knew I shouldn't have come in today."

The moment the words left her mouth she regretted them. God, how could she have been so stupid? Now he was really going to be angry.

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?"

She glared at him, no longer caring if he fired her or not. "It means that I'm not feeling very well, all right?"

"If you're sick go home! I don't want you infecting everyone in this office. We have work to do!"

Had she not been so angry and upset she might have laughed at the absurdity of his comment. Pregnancy was hardly contagious.

"I-I can't! I mean… I'm not sick! I'm just-."

"Look, this conversation is going nowhere. Just… go get your things and get out of here."

She gasped, her mind reeling at what his words meant. She had a life inside of her; a baby. She was going to be a mother; an unmarried d mother at that, responsible for a child. With no job and no husband she was doomed for a life on the streets. It was something she'd always imagined would happen to someone else. Now she was that someone else. She'd be homeless, penniless and unable to provide for her child; a child who would most likely be taken from her, never to be seen again. Her mother would be furious, as would her entire family. They'd disown her, and he'd never be accepted by them again.

And it was all because of one stupid mistake; a mistake that happened one night at work, when Pete Campbell found her irresistible, leading to a moment of passion.

The reality hit her hard and she began to sob once more.


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh Jesus, not this again…" Don grumbled. "I thought I told you to stop crying!"

She nodded, unable to do as he asked. "I know, but-."

"Stop it, damn it! Stop it right now! What in the hell is wrong with you?"

But she continued to cry. And when she'd calmed down only slightly, she looked up at him. "Am I fired?"

"What? No! What in the hell gave you that idea? Now if you're sick go home but if not, get out there and get to work!"

"Of course, Mr. Draper. I'm so sorry. I swear I didn't mean to freak out! It's just that I'm…"

"You're what? Are you going to tell me what this ridiculous outburst was all about? I've never seen you like this and I hope to never see it again! Thank God I pulled you in here when I did! I can't even imagine the chaos that would happen around here if someone had seen this childish behavior! Who in the hell cries at work?"

Now she was furious. "What in the hell does that mean? Do you have any idea how many women in this office you've made cry?"

"What?"

"Oh come on, Don, don't play all innocent! I've seen you fire enough people to know that I'm not the only one around here who cries!" Peggy snapped. The surprise of her boldness was evident on his face, for she'd never spoken to him like that before. She knew she was treading on thin ice-very thin ice-but she didn't care. He'd pushed her too far.

"Look are you going to leave or do I have to get security to throw you out?"

"You'd really do that? You'd really throw me out on the streets? What kind of a heartless jackass are you, Don Draper? How could you do that to one of your employees? I guess the others were right about you. You don't know crap about caring about other people. You only care about yourself!"

"HEY!" He yelled. "Don't ever talk to me like that again, do you understand? Now I want you to tell me what in the hell has gotten into you and I want you to tell me now!"

"You really want to know, Don? Do you really? Because I'll tell you! I'll tell you exactly what's wrong with me! And then when you throw me out on the streets, you'll feel bad about it! Do you really want that on your conscience? Do you?"

"I don' t even know what in the hell you're talking about, Peggy, so if I were you I'd get my butt back to that desk and start rewriting that letter!"

She was so angry that she could feel her entire body trembling. "Fine…" Tears blurred her eyes as she turned and began to storm out of his office, vowing never to come back. She didn't need him. She didn't need anyone. She could take care of herself.

"Hey, I asked you a question!" he shouted.

She turned around and glared at him. "What?"

"What is wrong with you?"

She gritted her teeth, unable to swallow for the huge lump of tears that couldn't reach her eyes fast enough. "You really want to know what's wrong?"

He grinned, (grinned! Like it was all a big joke); a gesture that angered her even further. "Yes, I do."

"All right, I'll tell you…."

She paused, almost smiling at the way he was growing impatient. And just when she knew he couldn't take the suspense any longer, she opened her mouth.

"I'm pregnant!"


	6. Chapter 6

He was staring at her, his mouth open in horror. But his face, his expression, was completely unreadable. And that scared the hell out of her. The man was a lion, ready to roar at any moment and if ever there was a moment for his temper to explode, it was now. She cringed, bracing herself for that outburst to come. And she prayed that the life growing inside her would be protected from the hell that was about to break loose.

Self-consciously her hands went to her flat stomach, as though doing so would protect her child. Her eyes moved to Don, who was pacing the room. And then the pacing stopped. Oh God…

He turned to look at her, his hand moving through his shiny slick backed hair.

"Jesus, Peggy. You're pregnant?"

Tears spilled onto her cheeks and she nodded. "Yes."

The word was meek, barely audible to her own ears. But it was a perfect echo of how she felt.

"Jesus." He said again after a silence that was much too long. "Does your boyfriend know?"

She almost laughed. Boyfriend? What a joke. If she had a boyfriend, she wouldn't be in this position. A boyfriend would understand and be supportive. And with very little planning they could get married. A blood test was needed anyway and there was no law saying that a pregnant woman couldn't get married in the state of New York. Not that she knew of anyway. If there was such a law, they could get married somewhere else; Vegas perhaps. It was a popular place to tie the knot, or so she'd been told. She'd never been there. And truth be told, she'd never really been anywhere. But she could get married. She was a grown woman and she was more than capable of being a wife and a mother. But when she saw Don still staring at her, she knew that she was only kidding herself. She wasn't ready for this; wasn't ready for any of this.

"Where's your boyfriend now?" Don was asking.

"W-what?"

"Your boyfriend, Peggy! Where is he?"

"I-I don't…"

Don picked up the phone. "Well I'm gonna find him if it's the last thing I do."

"No don't, Don! Please!" She yelled as panic surged through her. No way did she want him calling every man in New York City. He'd never find the father that way. And to think that they had crossed paths just hours before.

"I have to, Peggy! I-."

"Don't you get it? I don't have a boyfriend!"

The words hurt; God how they hurt. But they needed to be said, even though the ache inside of her was almost completely unbearable.

The outburst caused him to fall silent and he returned the phone receiver to the base. "Oh… I see. Well, someone got you pregnant, Peggy. You're not the Virgin Mary."

Her mouth fell open in horror. How dare he? If she hadn't felt so weak, she would have stormed out of his office… possibly forever. But she needed her job, now more than ever.

"I-I just… it just happened, all right? I-I didn't plan it at all, Don! I just…" She sank further into her chair as the memory came rushing back. "H-he said that he thinks about me and no one has ever said that, or meant it. But I believe that he did mean it. I really and truly do. He was the first man to ever find me attractive. H-he…"

"Yeah I get it." Don snapped, instantly breaking her train of thought. "Now who in the hell is this son of a-."

"N-nobody." She swallowed hard and shook her head. "Look Don, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry about the Quaker Oats letter, all right? I'll write it again. I'll stay here all night if I have to."

"Peggy…"

Her voice wobbled and then broke. "I-I'll write it over and it'll be better than ever. I promise. You'll see."

"Who is it, Peggy? Just tell me that, okay?"

"Why, Don? Why do you want to know so badly?"

Damn him. She knew that she should have called in sick. And to her horror, he picked up the phone again.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting to the bottom of this. I'll call every man in America if I have to, Peggy. And I mean it. I'll-."

"No don't! Please!" She yelled, as the sobs came, racking her body. "I-I'll tell you, okay? But you can't get mad, Don. Swear it! It wasn't his fault. Not really. It was mine. I'm the one-."

"Who was it, Peggy?"

She was silent for a long time, crying softly until she'd almost forgotten where she was or why she was crying. Perhaps if she'd stayed home or said nothing at all, he would forget all about it as well. But when she returned her gaze to his face, he was still watching her, waiting….

"Peggy?"

She took a deep, shuddered breath. "All right, I'll tell you. But you have to swear that you won't get mad, Don. Swear it!"

"I can't swear to that, Peggy. Not until I know-."

"It was Pete Campbell, all right?"


	7. Chapter 7

The words came out in a scream, startling them both. And she'd hoped that the confession would be a weight lifted from her shoulders. Instead it was a boulder added to the unwanted weight that she'd been carrying around.

He was glaring at her now, his eyes like flames. "Campbell?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Pete Campbell? As in our Pete Campbell?"

She nodded, suddenly hating the sound of his name. "Yes."

"Our Pete Campbell?" Don repeated.

"Yes, Don! How many times do I have to tell you? Pete Campbell! The Pete Campbell who works for Sterling Cooper! That Pete Campbell! The Pete Campbell who is happily married, but who enticed me into his office, and said those sweet things to me and then made me feel more complete and more loved than I've ever felt in my life!" She was sobbing now, even harder than before. And Don was pacing the room. She'd seen this action before.

Pacing the room was never a good sign.

He picked up the receiver again and placed it against his ear, causing her to panic once more. "Don, no! I'm begging you, please!"

But he ignored her, intent on listening to the ringing on the other end of the line. And then he spoke.

"Hey it's me. Yeah I know I promised to leave the office early but… something's happened and I need your help, please."

A pause…

"I know. Yes, I promise I'll make it up to you. But can you do me a favor?"

His eyes moved to Peggy, who felt smaller than a mouse.

"Can you come to the office?"

Another pause.

"I can't tell you right now but I needed help with something and since you're a woman…"

"All right, thanks. You too. That sounds great. I'll see you then."

He hung up the phone and Peggy could see the faintest hint of a smile. "Well, I got that taken care of."

"I'm so sorry, Don. I-I never meant for anything to happen. But people have office flings all the time, you know? I mean, Mr. Sterling-."

The minute the words were out of her mouth she gasped. Now she was doomed. What in the hell was wrong with her? What was she thinking, badmouthing her boss' boss right in front of him?

"Look, go wash your face, all right? Get cleaned up. You look like hell."

She needed, suddenly hating him but grateful that she and her baby were spared the dreaded outburst. And at once she exited his office, sighing with relief when she realized that the office was practically deserted. How long had they been in his office? It must have been hours, but truthfully it felt like days.

As she slipped into the hallway that led to the ladies' room, she turned to see Joan sauntering into Don's office, where the door closed. No doubt that Don would tell her everything, for Joan had a talent for knowing everything that was going on in the office, whether it was her business or not. And once Joan heard about Peggy's fling with Pete and the baby growing inside of her, she'd be out on the street.

When she reached the ladies room, Peggy did as instructed, splashing water on her face. She looked into the mirror at her horrible, swollen red eyes and puffy cheeks; she realized that Don was right. She really did look like hell.

The realization brought new sobs that racked her body and she slid onto the floor, sobbing into her hands.


	8. Chapter 8

She sat on the floor, her knees against her chest, grateful that she was alone in the ladies room. She wished that she could run away. That she could disappear and never come back. And she was sure that there were plenty of people at Sterling Cooper who would be happy if she did just that.

She tried to rise to a standing position but she was simply too weak. And so she stayed right where she was, trying not to think about how stupid she had been. Stupid for giving into Pete's charms; for actually believing him when he said that he thought about her, making her think that he actually loved her and not his wife. What a fool she'd been; and not just about Pete Campbell.

She'd ruined a letter to Quaker Oats that Don was counting on and she'd let him down immensely. He was right. She hadn't bothered to proof-read it at all. She'd yelled at him, saying things that she would have never said otherwise. And worst of all, she'd implied that his boss, Roger Sterling, was a man who engaged in affairs with other women. It was a complete lie, and although she'd heard things around the office, it wasn't her place to try and make it the truth. In fact, his private life, and the lives of everyone else in the office, were none of her business.

What was wrong with her?

She closed her eyes, wishing once again that she was somewhere else. Anywhere but sitting on the cold, hard floor in the ladies room at Sterling Cooper; pregnant and alone.  
A noise startled her back to reality and footsteps approached. Suddenly she saw a pair of pink high heeled shoes accompanied by long legs in front of her.

Please don't let it be Joan, Please don't let it be Joan….

"Are you Peggy?"

Slowly she raised her head. It was not Joan at all but a very beautiful woman wearing a pink dress and a matching pillbox hat. She had perfect blonde hair cut into an attractive bob and blue eyes. On her dainty hand (that had perfectly manicured nails), she had the biggest, most beautiful diamond ring imaginable. And suddenly Peggy felt very, very small.

"You are Peggy, aren't you?"

"I-I…"

The woman smiled. "How silly of me. I'm sorry I startled you. I'm Betty Draper."

Peggy gasped. "Draper? As in-."

"Don is my husband. He's your boss, right?"

"For the moment anyway. But I'm sure that when I go back into the office, he'll march me right out. I-." When she began to cry, she felt Betty's hand in hers, helping her to her feet.

"Th-thank you." Their eyes met and the compassion Peggy saw there made her cry even more. But to Peggy's surprise, Betty pulled her closer and let her cry.

"It's all right to cry, you know. Go ahead and let it out. I know it's scary. I've been through it twice, with Bobby and Sally. But of course I had Don to-."

Peggy cried harder and Betty briefly let go of her. "I'm sorry. That was… insensitive."

"No, it's true!" Peggy said. "You have Don and I have no one! I might not even have a job anymore! How am I supposed to raise a baby without a job and a husband?"

Betty smiled and smoothed Peggy's hair away from her face with her hand. It reminded Peggy of something her mother used to do. "Now you don't know for sure if you're pregnant, do you?"

Peggy looked up in surprise. "What? Um, no I…"

"Listen, false alarms happen all the time. So it's entirely possible that this is just one of those things."

Betty's words were like a ray of sunshine after a thunderstorm.

"But I missed two periods! So how-"

Betty smiled. "There's only one way to find out. Now wash your face and come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To an appointment."

When Betty offered no further information, Peggy simply did as she was asked and followed Betty out of the ladies room. Suddenly she trusted her boss's wife with her whole being. Finally she felt safe.


	9. Chapter 9

They sat in the waiting room; the one with the pale pink walls. Peggy thumbed through a copy of Harpers Bazar, but even the colorful photos of the iconic Audrey Hepburn in a striking hat and a gorgeous matching flowered scarf didn't hold her interest. How could she possibly be expected to concentrate when her whole future was at stake?

The door opened and a nurse appeared with a smile on her face. "Peggy Olson?"

At once Peggy's breath caught in her throat. The magazine fell from her hand and she stood, woodenly following Betty and the nurse to the door.

"Right this way, please." The nurse instructed.

They were led to a small room and Peggy was handed a thin pale blue cotton gown.

"Put this on. The ties go in the back." The nurse said. "We'll need a urine sample for the pregnancy test, so here's a cup. Bathroom is across the hall. Follow the instructions on the label and leave the cup on the tray."

Peggy nodded. "Okay. But what about-."

"The doctor will be in shortly."

"A-all right." She glanced at Betty who smiled reassuringly. And then she walked across the hall. In the privacy of bathroom, she was shaking so badly that it was difficult to do what she was told to do. And the fact that she was near tears didn't help either. But she was able to swallow her tears and as she washed her hands, she took a deep breath. She was relieved when she returned that the doctor had still not arrived and once again she gave Betty a worried glance.

"This is where I went when I was pregnant with Bobby and Sally." Betty explained. "Kr. Kadelez is very-"

The door opened and a man in a white coat entered the room. He was older, most likely in his early fifties, with graying hair and wire rimmed glasses. He smiled and went to embrace Betty.

"Well, I'll be! Betty Draper, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Dr. Kadelez." Betty replied, accepting his kiss on her cheek. "How are you?"

"Busy… and older."

The two of them laughed, but Peggy found it hard to smile.

"How are those beautiful children?"

"They're fine. Bobby is growing so fast and Sally has become quite a handful."

Dr. Kadelez chuckled. "I can imagine. Well, what brings you in today? I see you've brought someone with you."

"Yes, this is Peggy Olson."

Peggy extended her hand, aware of how much her fingers were trembling. "H-hello."

"Peggy, very nice to meet you. I understand you think that you might be pregnant?"

"Um, yes…I-I think so."

"I see. Well, let's get you up on this table here and put your feet in the stirrups. We'll take a look and see what we have."

She did as instructed and she flinched at the touch of his hands on her hips. She closed her eyes as a memory flashed through her mind.

Pete's hands were on her hips, moving the hem of her dress upward, and slowly her panties-.

Suddenly she gasped and sat up quickly, her heart thundering in her chest. Tears welled in her eyes and she felt Betty's reassuring hand moving through her hair.

"I know it's frightening." Dr. Kadelez said. "Especially if it's your first pregnancy. But sometimes these tests come back negative. Here, move down just a bit so I can take a look, all right?"

She pushed her hips down as far as she could and squeezed Betty's hand tightly as the doctor did an examination.

He asked her a series of questions and she answered them, feeling as though she was having an out of body experience. Never in her life did she dream that she'd be in a doctor's office getting a pregnancy test.

"We'll have the results shortly." He said, stepping over to the sink to wash his hands. "Don't worry."

She hated when doctors said things like that. How was she supposed to keep calm? She could be carrying Pete Campbell's baby!

The tears made their way down her cheeks and she felt the soft handkerchief against them brushing them away.

"It's all right. Dr. Kadelez is a wonderful doctor. "

"But what if-." Peggy began to sob the moment that Betty touched her shoulder.

"It'll be okay. I promise."

"You don't know that." Peggy replied. Betty's face blurred before her eyes.

"Well, we'll have an answer soon enough."

"I-I'll have to quit my job, although Mr. Draper probably already fired me."

"Don't worry about Don, or your job. I'll talk to him."

"No! I can't-."

"I'm sorry if he got angry with you. I'll talk to him tonight. But right now, just relax and think happy thoughts."

Peggy almost laughed. If she was pregnant, her life would change dramatically, in ways that she couldn't even begin to understand.


	10. Chapter 10

The door opened and Peggy's heart skipped a beat. Instinctively she reached for Betty's hand and squeezed. This was it, the moment that would change her life. A million thoughts went through her head; thoughts about how to tell Pete and her parents, the possibility that she would never find another job… who would give a job to an unwed woman with a baby? She wouldn't have a place to live; no food to eat… the list went on and on.

Dr. Kadelez entered the room and glanced at his clipboard. "Ms. Olson, I have your test results."

Peggy took a deep breath. "All right. I'm ready for whatever it is." She could hear her heart beating and the silence that surrounded the room was deafening.

"So what's the result?" Betty asked.

Peggy looked at her friend, amazed that someone could be so calm. For inside, she was a basket case.

"Well, we ran the test twice."

"And?"

"You're not pregnant."

Peggy was so relieved that she almost cried. She looked at Betty who looked even more relived. But it was hard to believe.

"Are you sure? I mean-."

"Ms. Olson, I can assure you that you are not pregnant. You're free and clear."

"Thank you, Dr. Kadelez. Thank you so much!"

"Yes, thank you, Dr. Kadelez." Betty said.

"You're welcome, Ms. Olson. If you need anything, like birth control…."

Peggy's face reddened with embarrassment and she glanced at Betty.

"We'll be fine for now." Betty said quickly.

"All right, well, have a good day."

When Dr. Kadelez was gone, Peggy and Betty hugged tightly. "I can't think you enough for this, Betty. And please, don't tell Don-."

"I'm not going to tell him anything. Everything is fine and that's all he needs to know. " Betty said. Her voice was reassuring and Peggy believed her.

The next day at work, Peggy walked in as quietly as possible, doing her best to avoid eye contact with anyone. But it was hard to ignore the stares and the whispers. She walked right past Joan and sat down at her desk. It was best to pretend like everything was normal and that nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

But then she saw him. He was walking across the vast office, deep in conversation with Roger and Don. Quickly Peggy returned her attention to the paper in her typewriter. It was blank, save for the date. It was as far as she'd gotten on her letter to IBM. After the way she'd screwed up the letter to Quaker Oats, this letter had to be better than perfect. She typed carefully and slowly, paying close attention to her work in order to avoid making any typing errors. But suddenly she felt him standing in front of her.

"Hi, Peggy."

Slowly she looked up and her heart fluttered at the sight of him. "Hello, Pete."

"Can I speak with you for a minute?"

"I really have to finish this letter for Don. He's expecting it."

"It will just take a minute."

"Okay. What is it?"

He looked around nervously. "Not here, okay?"

"All right." She rose from her chair and he took her elbow and led her to an empty office a few feet away. But when he closed the door she began to get scared. What if he seduced her again? What if she gave into her feelings again? What if this time, she wasn't so lucky? But to her surprise he just stood there looking at her.

"Peggy-."

"Pete I'm not pregnant." She hadn't meant to blurt it out, but there it was. And it was a huge relief.

"What?"

"I-I went to the doctor and they ran some tests. Well, I'm not pregnant."

"Oh… well…"

"You look upset. I thought you'd be relieved.""

"I am… God, of course I am. I mean, can you imagine-."

"Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Happy about this? Or are you upset?"

"What about you?"

"I'm relieved of course."

"Were you scared?"

"Are you kidding? I was scared to death!"

"And now?"

"Now, I'm…."

He extended his hand, making her forget what she was going to say. "What?"

"Friends?"

"F-friends?"

"I was hoping we could still be friends."

"Oh…" but she stared at him suddenly wishing that they could be more than friends.

"Sure."

"Really? Because you don't seem sure."

"Pete?"

"What?"

"I-." She stared at him a second longer and then pulled him into her arms. The kiss was heated, full of pent-up emotions and relief. It was wrong, oh so wrong to kiss him. He was married after all. But it felt so right. When she drew back, he was wiping his mouth staring at her in disbelief.

"Jesus Peggy, what in the hell was that?"

"I-I need to get back to work. Take care, Pete."

As she walked back to her desk, she didn't look at him, but she was thinking about him. He was and would always be her favorite mistake.

THE END


End file.
